Most manufacturers’ owner publications fell by the wayside in recent years, but Roughing It Smoothly, a corporate quarterly magazine from Alabama-based Tiffin Motorhomes Inc. (TMH), is an exception to that trend — having reached its 10th year in publication with the fall 2013 issue.

Behind Roughing It Smoothly for the past 40 issues have been Fred and Carolyn Thompson, whose first 32-page issue featured a 2004 Phaeton Class A on the cover.

In contrast, the latest issue totaled 80 glossy pages of Tiffin-centric information in a print publication that generally includes detailed product reviews and interviews with Tiffin owners – some of whom have traveled in their coaches for up to 30 years – plus stories on Tiffin employees and in-depth features on loyal dealers.

The magazine also gives Bob Tiffin, the company’s legendary president and CEO, a chance to stay in touch with owners through his “President’s Corner” column.

“Tiffin keeps his constituency informed about current developments at TMH along with interesting stories about the history of the company, his personal tests of selected coaches, and his and Mrs. Tiffin’s trips to favorite destinations,” says Fred Thompson, who serves as editor and writer while Carolyn, a retired teacher, is copy editor. The two operate a Monroe, Ga., firm called Book Production Resources, which also generates books for Smithsonian, the American Philosophical Society and several historical societies.

In addition to owner interviews from Elaine Austin, Roughing it Smoothly often includes tips on traveling with pets from Dr. John Pilarczyk and travel stories from regular contributors like long-time Tiffin owner Norman Spray.

In “Serious Tech Talk,” Danny Inman has answered hundreds of questions about owners’ coaches from his 39-plus years of TMH experience. “If he didn’t know the answer, he spent hours calling everyone he knew until he found the answer,” says Thompson. “His column is the first thing that many owners read when they receive RIS.”

Also behind the scenes is Andy Cargile, who joined the staff in 2006 to handle Adobe programs and address the magazine’s color, typesetting and layouts.

“Carolyn and I have enjoyed writing and producing the magazine,” said Thompson, who speaks highly of Tiffin’s ongoing innovation. “It has been an exciting adventure to visit and write about some of America’s greatest wonders and scenic parks. We have visited national parks from Maine to California, from Texas to Yellowstone, from Florida to Minnesota. We have climbed mountains, rafted rivers, and flown in helicopters to create stories for our owners’ enjoyment and use in planning their own trips. We hope to bring them many more issues.”

Aqua-Hot has expanded its relationship with Tiffin Motorhomes Inc., as its 400D model will be installed on all Phaeton Class A motorhomes.

“This hydronic heating system is such a unique product that I tell our RV customers they have to experience it to believe it,” said Jerry Williamson, national sales manager for Red Bay Ala.-based Tiffin Motorhomes, in a press release. “There’s a night and day difference between Aqua-Hot and an ordinary gas water heater.”

Tiffin also uses Aqua-Hot in its Allegro Bus and Zephyr motorhomes. “Our Phaeton model has gained even more luxury features in the past few years, so it was a natural fit to include a high-end brand like Aqua-Hot,” said Williamson.

The compact Aqua-Hot 400D hydronic heating system delivers continuous, on-demand hot water as well as quiet, clean and even interior heat that is never dry. The versatile unit can operate on AC shore power when required for hot water or only light duty heating. If needed for continuous hot water or interior heating in colder temperatures, it can also run on diesel fuel.

The hydronic heating relies on tubing that runs hot liquid into heat exchangers that then efficiently disperse heat into living areas. Coils wrapped around the boiler carry hot potable water to faucets and appliances.

Tiffin Motorhomes Inc. for 2013 has added a 33-foot floorplan with opposing flat-floor slideouts from HWH Corp. to the Class A Allegro RED. Although this is the shortest of five RED (rear engine diesel) floorplans, ”the flat floor give us incredible width and the ability to do different configurations,” said Jerry Williamson, national sales manager for the Red Bay, Ala., motorized manufacturer. ”You could hold a wedding inside.” Tiffin has spiffed up the 2013 RED with interior LED lighting throughout, a new burlwood cockpit dash, Gibraltar solid-surface countertops and solid-wood cherry cabinets. An ultra-thin flatscreen bedroom TV — one of four in the coach — is built into an overhead cabinet door that flips up to expose the entertainment center. Built on a 29,500-pound GVWR raised-rail Freightliner XC chassis equipped with a 340-hp Cummins ISB engine, the 33AA floorplan retails for $220,290.

Tiffin Motorhomes Inc. finished 2011 as the nation’s leader for unit sales of Class A motorhomes, according to the latest report from Statistical Surveys Inc.

The Red Bay, Ala.-based builder held the No. 1 position for the year, holding a 21.1% market share, just edging out Winnebago with a 20.2% share. Thor was No. 3, owning a 17.3% market share. That was up from Tiffin’s 17.9 percent share in 2010.

“We appreciate the collaborative effort of our dealers and manufacturing team, and our loyal following from the Tiffin Motorhomes family of coach owners,” said General Manager Tim Tiffin in a press release. “As we look ahead to 2012, we’ll continue our commitment to customer service, supporting our dealers and doing what’s right for our customers.”

A family-owned business, Tiffin is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Its brands include the Allegro, Allegro RED, Allegro Breeze, Phaeton, Allegro Bus and Zephyr, available through a network of dealers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

In addition to the No. 1 overall position, Tiffin’s Phaeton ranked as the top-selling diesel pusher for the sixth consecutive year.

As national attention focuses on the football rivalry between Auburn University and the University of Alabama, Tiffin Motorhomes Inc. is capitalizing on fan interest to market their Alabama-built luxury coaches.

New TV spots and web videos launch today featuring the two flagship universities’ mascots, Big Al the Crimson Tide’s elephant and Aubie the Auburn Tiger. The spots can be viewed on Tiffin’s web site at http://www.TiffinMotorhomes.com and on YouTube.

At a time when the intensity of the rivalry has grown on talk radio and online, Tiffin takes a more light-hearted and fun approach, showing Big Al and Aubie playing pranks on each other. Tiffin family members are no strangers to the Iron Bowl rivalry as Van Tiffin (research and development manager) kicked the winning field goal for Alabama to beat Auburn in 1985. Leigh Tiffin, Van’s son, followed in his father’s footsteps both as a kicker at Alabama and now as an employee at Tiffin Motorhomes.

According to Tim Tiffin, general manager of the company, “Both Auburn and Alabama have such great traditions and fans that really support their teams. At Tiffin we’ve enjoyed being a supporter of both teams. If you go visit Auburn, Tuscaloosa and a lot of other college towns on game day, you’re likely to find people tailgating in a Tiffin motor home, so featuring Big Al, Aubie and other college mascots makes a lot of sense to promote our vehicles.”

California-based Mike Thompson RV Superstores attributed its commitment to customer service as the key behind the company’s selection as a top selling dealer for Tiffin Motorhomes Inc.

“It is truly an honor to be partnered with such a strong, solid company like Tiffin Motorhomes,” Frank Degelas, owner of Mike Thompson RV, said in a press release. “We knew Tiffin Motorhomes would be a great RV manufacturer to be partnered with as we share the same business philosophy that the customer is No. 1.

Both Tiffin, based in Red Bay, Ala., and Mike Thompson RV are family owned and operated.

“Today’s savvy RV buyer demands value, quality and cutting edge design along with a manufacturer that stands behind their product,” Degelas said. “It is becoming increasingly difficult to find such an RV manufacturer with all of these qualities. In today’s market Tiffin is a rare breed.”

Mike Thompson RV has California locations in Santa Fe Springs, Colton and Cathedral City along with two Orange County stores in Fountain Valley.

With the introduction of its 2012 models, Tiffin Motorhomes Inc. marks its 40th anniversary as a family-owned business. Bob Tiffin started the company in Red Bay in 1972. Today, Tiffin Motorhomes is a leading manufacturer of Class A motorhomes.

The Phaeton was the top-selling brand of Class A diesel motorhomes in 2010. Tiffin’s Allegro Bus, Allegro RED and Allegro Breeze were also among the top five best-selling diesel pushers. Tiffin models also include the moderately priced Allegro brand, as well as the top-of-the-line 45-foot Zephyr.

Today, dealers across the U.S. and Canada sell the well-engineered units built at the Red Bay plant. Tiffin Motorhomes is respected for its product quality, customer service and a strong relationship between dealer and manufacturer.

“This year, Tiffin Motorhomes proudly celebrates our 40th year of building the finest motorhomes on the road,” said General Manager Tim Tiffin. “We want to thank everyone who has been part of our journey, from our dedicated team to our wonderful customers. As we celebrate 40 years and continue to strive to exceed the expectations of our customers, we look forward to celebrating our 50th anniversary in 2022.”

“We’re always looking for new ways to offer more value to our customers, and we’ve done it again with this new high-end, smaller coach,” said Bob Tiffin, CEO of family-owned Tiffin. “The Allegro Breeze is wonderfully maneuverable, easy to park and fun to drive thanks to one of the most powerful, durable and fuel-efficient engines on the market.”

This past November, a concept model Allegro Breeze RV was introduced to dealers and news media at the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association’s 47th Annual National RV Trade Show in Louisville, Ky., and was awarded “Best in Show” by RVBusiness magazine. At 28 feet, the Allegro Breeze RV is 17 feet shorter than Tiffin’s top-of-the-line Zephyr, but only 9 1/2 feet longer than a typical full-size SUV. The Allegro Breeze GVWR is 21,500 pounds. The Allegro Breeze RV will begin appearing at Tiffin’s network of dealerships in the U.S. and Canada in June. Pricing has not yet been announced.

The MaxxForce 7 will be rear-mounted on Tiffin’s own PowerGlide chassis. Introduced in 2008, the PowerGlide chassis quickly became a popular option, offering one-stop service for Tiffin owners at dealerships and the Tiffin service facility. The PowerGlide chassis for the Allegro Breeze RV is newly designed on a coach-ready platform.

Tiffin Motor Homes received one of three prestigious Quality Circle Awards presented to Class A motorhome manufacturers this year for design, reliability, quality, value and competitive price. For additional information about Tiffin products and services, visit www.tiffinmotorhomes.com.

Navistar Engine Group, an operating unit of Navistar Inc., produces diesel engines for consumer and commercial automotive and industrial markets around the world. Its global MaxxForce brand line of engines offers models for a wide range of applications and for all global emissions standards. For more information, visit www.MaxxForce.com.